MARCS SUCKS any one else have issues

Status
Not open for further replies.

lucky43113

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
371
Location
Central Ohio/Pickaway County
No one in my area Pickaway county likes this new marcs even the police can't understand each other and some of the smaller areas in my county can't even talk to the city police they have to use cell phones what a mess. Has anyone else had this type of problems when switching over.
 

lucky43113

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
371
Location
Central Ohio/Pickaway County
They will once they start getting their talkgroups and everyone gets new radios. Until then they can still use their EDACS system as well as LEERN and intercity.

not here they don't have the EDACS to fall back on they removed all the older stuff so some depts have EDACS radios some only the new system no fall back system other than cell phone
 

N5XTC

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
819
Location
Hampton, Virginia
No one in my area Pickaway county likes this new marcs even the police can't understand each other and some of the smaller areas in my county can't even talk to the city police they have to use cell phones what a mess. Has anyone else had this type of problems when switching over.

I lived in Ohio growing up and scanned starting back in the 70s til I escaped the place back in 1994. I visited this past summer bad brought a few digital scanners. Let me tell you, in terms of scanning, the improvement it amazing as to what am able to copy east of Cleveland. The MARCS system enables me to hear cities I had to be in to scan back in the day. An entire different scanning experience. As to whether they are having probs with it, I cannot attest. Unless you an old school scanner head, you cannot appreciate the difference from the old analog days.
 

firecatohio

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
240
Location
Logan, oh
We've had a few issues with it.. but bugs are working out... I love it.. like being in Cleveland and listen to a run I'm missing lol

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 

fyrfyter33

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
222
Location
Cincinnati, OH
No one in my area Pickaway county likes this new marcs even the police can't understand each other and some of the smaller areas in my county can't even talk to the city police they have to use cell phones what a mess. Has anyone else had this type of problems when switching over.



No issues like that here. Minor issues with certain things, but not like that.

Sounds like a tower may be out of sync or not working just right.

Hopefully, someone did coverage testing to make sure things work d correctly before moving everyone over.

The PD here doesn't love the algorithm designed to cut noise, because when their voices go up 2 octaves, the radio sometimes thinks it's background noise and cuts it.

I on the other hand love that feature. The only radio so far that kills loud background noise on the fireground.

This is within the APX radio itself however, not the system.
 

lucky43113

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
371
Location
Central Ohio/Pickaway County
No issues like that here. Minor issues with certain things, but not like that.

Sounds like a tower may be out of sync or not working just right.

Hopefully, someone did coverage testing to make sure things work d correctly before moving everyone over.

The PD here doesn't love the algorithm designed to cut noise, because when their voices go up 2 octaves, the radio sometimes thinks it's background noise and cuts it.

I on the other hand love that feature. The only radio so far that kills loud background noise on the fireground.

This is within the APX radio itself however, not the system.

That's one issue is most haven't switched over yet so they can't talk between agencies. There was no test the PD was just switched over they do their test while trying to do day to day communication
 

fyrfyter33

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
222
Location
Cincinnati, OH
That's one issue is most haven't switched over yet so they can't talk between agencies. There was no test the PD was just switched over they do their test while trying to do day to day communication



That's not a MARCS issue, but an agency one. It also depends which system you are coming from before this.

You never switch to a new radio system without extensive testing, training and practicing using it.

We went from Low Band to 800MHz Trunked Digital in one fell swoop, and even then, we did extensive testing, training and practice before making the switch.

We tested all over the county & inside specific buildings as well.

When the radio is your lifeline, there's no excuse for not being properly prepared to use it.
 

lucky43113

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
371
Location
Central Ohio/Pickaway County
That's not a MARCS issue, but an agency one. It also depends which system you are coming from before this.

You never switch to a new radio system without extensive testing, training and practicing using it.

We went from Low Band to 800MHz Trunked Digital in one fell swoop, and even then, we did extensive testing, training and practice before making the switch.

We tested all over the county & inside specific buildings as well.

When the radio is your lifeline, there's no excuse for not being properly prepared to use it.

we are switching from EDACS been common to hear someone say the last few days is this thing on since it was dead air all day then someone might answer and say use your cell phone
 

Nasby

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
2,631
Location
Ohio
MARCS is a great system.

However, in far too many areas of the state, one agency (usually a sheriff's department or large city) will utilize MARCS while the neighboring agencies are still using VHF or UHF analog. Thus, preventing any type of immediate interop in a major incident.

This is obviously not a MARCS issue but an instance of ignorance and shortsightedness by the agencies involved.
 

45601

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
50
Location
Ross County
Is 600k for the entire county or just Circleville PD and FD? I can't imagine those two agencies would cost $600k. I think all of Pickaway County is staying with Harris radios. Not sure which models. I know the Ross County FDs with Harris XG25 radios have had good luck with them since they went to MARCS.
 

lucky43113

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
371
Location
Central Ohio/Pickaway County
Is 600k for the entire county or just Circleville PD and FD? I can't imagine those two agencies would cost $600k. I think all of Pickaway County is staying with Harris radios. Not sure which models. I know the Ross County FDs with Harris XG25 radios have had good luck with them since they went to MARCS.

600k is for Circleville PD and The Pickaway County Sheriff. They said the reason for the upgrade is in some parts of the county there were dead zones where the radios would not work. Sheriff has not switched over yet
 

medic611

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2003
Messages
133
Location
NC Foothills
600k is for Circleville PD and The Pickaway County Sheriff. They said the reason for the upgrade is in some parts of the county there were dead zones where the radios would not work. Sheriff has not switched over yet

Unless they upgraded dispatch consoles the city and county had all their radios changed during the Sprint rebanding county wide, and all of those radios were to be P25 capable as part of the package. Even departments like Laurelville got a few 800mhz radios from that situation. Having worked in that city before certain well know locations were dead spots if you didn't have the extended antennas on the portable radios. The single tower site location didn't help Tarlton , nor did it help the far NW corner of the county.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top